


A Dangerous Business.

by daydreamer2100



Series: Ezio and Sofia. [3]
Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: After Revelations, Childbirth, Ezio and Sofia need more fics, F/M, First Baby, Fluff, Love, Pregnancy, Some angst, assassins creed, assassins' kids, ezio/sofia - Freeform, kinda detailed descriptions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-28
Updated: 2019-03-01
Packaged: 2019-11-06 21:52:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17947778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daydreamer2100/pseuds/daydreamer2100
Summary: Neither Ezio nor Sofia thought they'd be able to have a family of their own. So, when Sofia finds out she's pregnant, they are over the moon with excitement. As the date draws nearer, however, they begin to worry about their future, realizing the frailty of their happiness, and the dangers of their position. In that trying time, they will need to find the strength to carry on and face whatever comes their way.Or: Sofia's pregnant, which could be a death sentence in the 1500s (no, really), and goes into labor early.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> At first, I didn't know why I wrote this, but then I thought about it and I realized there were several reasons.
> 
> 1) simply put: Ezio and Sofia need more fics, and I don't care how old the pairing is... they're still my favorites.
> 
> 2) I thought it would be interesting to think about how they would deal with a pregnancy, given their historical context. Pregnancies really were a dangerous business back then, and for a person like Ezio, who's lost so much, I thought it would be interesting to imagine how he would react at the prospect of having his happiness taken away from him... yet again. 
> 
> 3) I just like the idea of showing this side of the relationship. Pregnancies during that time of course made people happy, but they were a serious business. I think showing them trying to focus on the 'we are going to have a kid!', and not on 'one of us may die, and our kid could die too!' would be interesting. They really rely on their love for each other during it all, and in it, they find the strength to get through it. 
> 
> 4) I'm a history buff and I needed an excuse to research more about the renaissance.
> 
> Also... I did my research on childbirth, both in modern times and the Renaissance, but I'm no doctor. So, I apologize if there are inaccuracies in the way it is written. I'm in no means an expert.
> 
> Also, I would really appreciate any feedback you may be willing to give. It could be about the way it's written, the story itself, or whatever else you want to talk about. Some constructive criticism is always great, and it would really help me to improve my craft. 
> 
> Thank you!
> 
> I hope you'll enjoy the story!

Sofia sat next to the window, looking at the people walking in the street. The sky was bright blue, not a single cloud in sight. The merchants’ voices were happy and loud, coming in through the thin glass. She liked living in Florence. It was very lively and Ezio’s friends were very interesting to be around, that is, when they _were_ around and not off in Rome or elsewhere. She did miss her bookshop from time to time, but she would forget about it once Ezio came back into the room. ‘I have bigger concerns at the moment’ she thought, placing her hand on her swollen belly.

It came as no surprise to anyone when she fell pregnant, but Sofia was still shocked about how quickly it had happened. She suspected it happened after the wedding, or even _during_ the wedding. But whichever the case, it didn’t really matter: she was with child, and that was all. She had suspected it for some time before really knowing. Her body had changed, she was putting up weight for seemingly no reason, and she was suddenly very sensitive in some areas, not to mention the constant morning sickness. The confirmation, however, came months after coming to Florence. She was half asleep when something moved inside her, startling her. Both she and Ezio knew what it was as soon as it happened… Leonardo had warned them about it before.

Sofia stiffened when the child stirred inside her, kicking her entrails. She placed her hand over the spot it was kicking and sighed. “My wriggly child,” she muttered. The baby hadn’t stopped moving after that night, always turning and kicking. She loved feeling it move, it reminded her she had another soul inside her, but it could be very tiresome at times. Ezio, though… he couldn’t get enough of it. Sofia reckoned he had touched her belly more in those last few months than any other man had touched their wives’ bellies before. Not that she complained. There was nothing sweeter than when he held her belly from behind during the night, or when he sat on the floor by the side of her chair and rested his head against the bump while she read. The sheer joy in his face everytime the baby stirred could light up a room. After all, it was a joyful thing, having a child. Especially for them.

Both of them had given up on the possibility of having a family of their own. Sofia being all alone in the east, busy with her shop, and Ezio being busy with… well, killing people and so on. It had been a miracle they had found each other at all and gotten another chance at love. It would’ve been enough for Sofia, to only have him, and she knew she would’ve been enough for him too. Life wasn’t satisfied though, and now they would have a family. And the joy of that gift only grew more and more every day.

It was all Sofia ever wanted… and that was why the prospect of losing it terrified her even more.

After all, childbirth was a dangerous business.

Sofia had grown up listening to stories of mothers dying in labor… sometimes the child lived, sometimes it didn’t. All were harrowing tales, but none surprising. It was as common as the sun rising in the morning. She had never paid any mind to it, after all, it hardly concerned her. Even after she was pregnant, she hadn’t really thought about it. She was too happy to consider it. But then, the will incident happened. She will never forget the day she came home to find a strange man sitting with her husband in his office, nor the grim expression on their faces as they spoke.

As it turned out, the man was a banker… one of Ezio’s childhood friends. He had come after he heard Sofia was with child. He hadn’t come to congratulate them like the others had, instead he was there to help her draft her will. Sofia could barely believe it when he first explained it. And how could she? After all, only the sick and elderly write wills. She was neither. The man had no ill intent, but he had accidentally ingrained in her a paralyzing fear of death. He made her realize just how dangerous her situation was, and the frailty of their prospected happiness.

Neither she nor Ezio said another word that night, but stayed as close to each other as they could. At least they would face it together… or at least until the time came for Sofia to retire from public life, and relent contact with any men until after the birth… including her husband.

The due date was growing closer now, and in a few weeks she would have to go into complete confinement. She was still trying to mentally prepare for it, and thankfully, she had some time left. Sofia sighed and pulled herself out of the chair, struggling against the weight of her belly. She hissed, a stinging pain rolling through her back and abdomen.

After being freed from the chair, she walked to the door, holding her belly.

The house was never quiet, there was always some noise outside that would filter through the walls. It had been a nuisance for Sofia at first, when they were just settling in after leaving Rome. It wasn’t pleasing to spend the entire night awake with her husband only to be roused at the crack of dawn by a travelling merchant screaming. She was even more worried about the baby, fearing how it would sleep with all the noise. Ezio always said it would be fine, after all, he grew up in a similar home without any problem. In fact, his old house wasn’t too far from there. He showed it to her in one of their walks… he showed her all of the city actually.

Now there was no doubt in Sofia’s mind that she had married a florentine. Sofia could see just how happy Ezio was to be back in the city. Nothing about it could bother him, and he smiled everytime he heard a merchant passing by. He felt at home, she could tell. And seeing him happy made her happy, so she put aside the early morning screams.

They didn’t plan to stay in the city though. Because, as much as Ezio loved the place, he didn’t want to spend his old age in it. He longed for peace and quiet, and honestly how wouldn’t he? After living such a noisy life. Not only that, but because of that same noisy life, it would be safer for them to be away from big cities. Especially after realizing she was pregnant, and they would have a baby to care for. That’s why Ezio had began working on a villa in the countryside, not too far from the city. He was very excited about it: to start a simple life, taking care of a vineyard and raising their child in the peace and quiet of the hills of tuscany.

He deserved it too, after so many years of fighting and teaching.

Ezio had promised to retire after they left Masyaf. She hadn’t asked him to, but didn’t complain either. She thought it was time for him to have some peace. The retirement didn’t go over so smoothly with the other assassins though, and Ezio had spent the last months trying to leave everything under control. He was technically retired, but he still travelled to Rome from time to time to help and give advice to their new leader. She really didn’t mind it, but as her belly got bigger and bigger, staying home alone became more worrisome. She didn’t say anything to Ezio though,  he had enough in his mind.

Sofia walked down the stairs slowly, leaning heavily on the rail. She was careful with every step, not wanting to repeat the same incident from the previous night: She was walking down the stairs when she slipped. The memory of the moment she lost her footing still made his stomach sink. If it weren’t for Ezio’s fast reflexes, she wasn’t sure what would’ve happened. Falls during pregnancy were hazardous, especially so late in the term.

She made it down to the first floor and headed for the door. She needed a walk, and so did the baby. They could both use some noise and sunlight before being trapped in a dark room for God knows how long. She patted her stomach lovingly as she reached for her basket, smiling down at it when the child stirred again.

Sofia opened the door and walked outside. The sun felt good on her skin, and she figured she’d go down to a nearby bookstore to see if there was anything new. She hadn’t reached the end of the street when a voice spoke from behind her.

“Going somewhere?” Ezio asked, standing there with his arms folded over his chest. Even after months, seeing him in simple, civilian clothes felt weird.

“The baby is a little restless,” she explained, holding her belly, “walks usually help.”

He nodded, a knowing look on his face. “Is that so?

Sofia tried to hide a smile as he walked up to her. “Si… ”

Ezio narrowed his eyes playfully and took the basket. “You know what the doctor said,” he said, taking her hand, “no walking. You need to sit and rest.”

Sofia sighed. “You can’t seriously expect me to spend all day in there,” she protested, “besides, I won’t be able to go out at all very soon… ”

Ezio thought about it, looking at her. Sofia grabbed his arm, pulling him along with a pleading look. “ _per favore_ , it will be a short walk,” she insisted, “I promise.”

He took a deep breath, his expression softening. “Tomorrow we’ll go for a walk,” he said, kissing her forehead, “but tonight we have guests.”

“Guests?” Sofia asked, frowning.

“Si,” Ezio nodded, walking her back to the house.

Sofia looked at the street longingly, sighing deeply. “You promise we’ll go out tomorrow?” she asked, standing a step away from the door.

He chuckled, offering her his hand. “I promise.”

Sofia opened her mouth to speak as she stepped through the threshold, but another sting dug into her abdomen and she clutched her stomach, groaning. Ezio’s smile vanished, and he rushed to her side.

She breathed deeply. “It’s a kicker,” she joked, her voice tight. The kicks were getting worse.

“Are you certain it’s that?” he asked, worried, “I can cancel if you don’t feel okay, I’ll send for the doct-”

“No, no, I’m alright,” she insisted, standing straight. She clutched her stomach, the pain already fading. “It’s just… _tiresome_.”

Ezio pulled her into a hug. “It won’t be long now, _amore_.”

Sofia buried herself in his arms. “That’s what I fear.”

His embrace tightened when she said that, his heart racing against her cheek. “You have nothing to fear,” he lied.

“I do…” she whispered. A moment of silence passed. “what if I can’t do it?”

Ezio stood back and held her belly. “You’re a very strong woman, Sofia,” he said, “childbirth will not face you.”

“How are you so sure?” she asked, covering his hands with hers.

Ezio smiled. “Because I know who I married.” Sofia didn’t look at him, her eyes fixed on the floor. He grabbed her chin and gingerly pulled her up to see him. “Besides, think of how happy we’ll be once the baby is here.”

Sofia smiled and nodded, letting the relief of his words wash over her. He was right, she had to focus on the good part: they would be a family. She looked at her large stomach, holding it tenderly before letting out a chuckle. “It will be nice not to feel like a cow anymore,” she joked, “and to actually fit in my clothes.”

“You don’t look like a cow,” Ezio said.

Sofia rolled her eyes. _“Bugiardo. [Liar]”_

She tried to walk away, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

Ezio had a sly smile on his face when he leaned down and kissed her. It started as a soft kiss, but it began to escalate. Sofia clutched his hair as he moved down to her neck, kissing the skin there. She gasped, smiling at the almost forgotten sensation. It had been an eternity since he kissed her like that. Or at least he hadn’t since the doctors told Sofia to avoid any intimacy for the baby’s sake. They both missed it dearly. A familiar heat took over her lower belly as he kissed her, but another of the baby’s kick cut it short. “We c-” her voice faltered when he kissed the space between her jaw and neck, and she sighed.

“I miss you,” he whispered, leaning into her ear.

Sofia smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck. “You think I don’t?” she replied, pressing her forehead to his.

Ezio chuckled, holding her waist. “As soon as the baby’s here we can… ” he pressed his mouth to her ear and whispered things that made her cheeks turn bright red.

Sofia gasped, pushing him away playfully. “Take it easy, _messere_ ,” she said, “I’m already pregnant.”

Ezio laughed, grabbing her hand and kissing it. Sofia cupped his cheek, caressing his beard. “Who’s coming anyways?”

“Claudia, La Volpe, even Leonardo, if he’s able to make it.”

“Wonderful!” Sofia’s face lit up. She hadn’t had had visitors in a very long time, and she missed Leonardo more than anything. Seeing him would make her feel infinitely better. “I’ll prepare some food then,” she said, walking to the kitchen.

“Wait,” Ezio tried to stop her, “don’t exert yourself, _amore_. I’ll go and buy something or make it myself.”

“I’m pregnant, Ezio, not made of glass,” she replied. “Besides, I don’t want you to spook our guest with your cooking,” she joked, patting his cheek softly.

Ezio relented, a smile cracking on his face. “Bene…”

“Now, go and get ready,” she said, directing him to the stairs.


	2. Chapter 2

Sofia had already finished setting the table for dinner, and the food was ready to go in the kitchen. The only thing that wasn’t ready was her husband. She sighed and made her way to the bottom of the stairs. “Ezio?!” she called, “are you ready?”

“ _ cinque minuti _ , my love.” 

And men said women took too long to get ready. Sofia was thinking about this when someone knocked at the door. She waddled over and opened it to find la Volpe standing in the doorway. 

“ _ Salve _ ,” Sofia greeted him, stepping aside for him to come inside. 

“ _ Buona sera _ , Sofia,” Volpe replied, coming inside quickly. Despite being a very old man, he was still incredibly quick. But that wasn’t surprising… he was called ‘the fox’ for a reason. 

Sofia closed the door and turned to him. “Ezio will come down in a minute,” she explained, “we can wait in the sitting ro-” She hadn’t taken two steps when she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen. She clutched her stomach, doubling over in pain.

That definitely didn’t feel like a kick. 

Volpe came to her side, helping her up and guiding her to a chair near the door. “Are you alright?!” he asked.

Sofia breathed deeply, the ache vanishing slowly. The pain was fading, so it was probably nothing. Most likely the baby just moved very abruptly. “Si,” she nodded, looking up, “the baby’s been restless that’s all.”

The man’s expression relaxed, and he knelt in front of her. “Well, what can you expect?” he joked, patting her shoulder, “it’s an Auditore.”

“So I’ve been told.” Sofia sighed, remembering all the times Claudia had told her about Ezio’s ‘wild childhood’.

“I still remember when Maria was pregnant with Ezio,” Volpe said. His gaze seemed lost for a moment and he smiled. “She spent that whole pregnancy complaining,” he said, “said that the child was too restless, that it could not sit still. I used to joke and say he would be a  _ piantagrane [troublemaker] _ _ … _ it always made Giovanni laugh.”

Sofia smiled. “You knew Ezio’s parents?” 

“Of course I did,” he smiled wistfully, “both him and Maria were dear friends.”

“Ezio didn’t tell me.”

“I suspect he doesn’t know.”

“Why not?”

Volpe gave her a sly smile. “I don’t want to give away my age,” he said. 

Sofia chuckled. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell,” she reassured him.

“I know,” he replied, standing back up, “why else would I tell you?” He offered his hand to her and helped her stand back up.

“Sofia!” Ezio came down the stairs, “who was at the door?”

“Volpe’s here,” she answered, walking to the bottom to meet him. The pain was gone by now, but she still felt a little off. 

Ezio seemed to pick up on it. “Are you alright?” he asked, touching the side of her stomach. 

She nodded. “Si.” She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “Why don’t you two settle down while I get the food?” 

Sofia began walking to the kitchen when she felt another jab. She flinched, but Ezio and la Volpe didn’t notice. She walked away, rubbing her stomach and waiting for the pain to pass. 

When she came into the kitchen, she found an empty space in the tray of rolls she had baked. She smiled, shaking her head. “Ezio!” she called.

“Si?”

“Did you take a roll?” 

There was a moment of silence.  _ “No.” _

Sofia chuckled to herself. For a master assassin, he was sometimes incredibly bad at hiding things. He did, however, deserve praise for sneaking in and out without her even noticing. 

“Need some help?” a voice asked, snapping her back to reality. 

Sofia turned around and saw her sister-in-law. “Claudia!” she greeted her, nodding to the trays of food already served,  _ “Si, grazie.” _

Each of them took a tray and carried them to the table. “You shouldn’t be cooking, Sofia,” she told her.

Sofia sighed. “That’s what everyone keeps telling me,” she said, picking up another tray and heading for the dining room, “but I feel fine.”

They put the trays down in silence, fixing them in the center. It took longer with Sofia’s belly getting in the way, especially when she dropped a fork and Claudia had to pick it up for her. She was about to finish when the pain returned and she dropped the last plate with a loud clatter, food spilling everywhere. 

The conversation in the sitting room ceased, and she heard someone walk to the door. “Is everything alright?!” Ezio asked.  

Claudia looked at Sofia, and she nodded, standing back up. “We’re fine,” she replied, putting the spilled food back in the tray and looking at her sister-in-law. She seemed more annoyed than in pain. “I know it’s tiresome,” Claudia reassured Sofia, patting her shoulder. “My second child was especially bothersome, but it was worth it.”

Sofia hesitated, fixing a napkin. “I know…”

“Is something’s bothering you?” Claudia asked. 

“No… It’s nothing, really…” Sofia tried to disimulate, but Claudia could see the concern in her eyes. 

“You can ask me anything, you know?” Claudia reassured her, “we’re sisters, aren’t we?”

Sofia gave her a sweet smile, but her expression saddened. “I’m afraid, Claudia,” she admitted. Claudia sighed in understanding, holding her hand. Sofia looked at her. “I really want this child, don’t misunderstand me, but… I’m afraid.”

“I don’t want to die, Claudia,” Sofia continued. “Especially now that I have a loving husband and a the prospect of a family.”

Claudia squeezed her hand. “I know how you feel,” she sighed, “but the best is not to think about it until the time comes. I can’t tell you for sure you’ll be alright, but I have a feeling you’ll be.”

Sofia nodded, trying to feel better. “What if something goes wrong,” she continued, “and I lose my baby. I wouldn’t be able to bear it…  _ we _ wouldn’t be able to bear it. It would crush your brother if I lost it.”

“If it happens, which I don’t think it will,” Claudia spoke slowly, “you will heal… very slowly, but you will.”

Claudia gave little reassurance, unlike Ezio, but Sofia knew she was honest. She appreciated it, even if it didn’t take away the fear. “Come on,” Claudia patted her shoulder, “let’s join the men, a little talking will do good to take your mind off of these dark thoughts.”

They were in the hallway when they heard a loud, cheerful voice in the entrance. “Ezio!  _ Amico mio! _ ”

“Leonardo!” Ezio replied, “It’s been too long!”

Sofia smiled, hastening the pace to reach the front door. Leonardo was inside, hugging Ezio tightly. Once he let go, he smiled again, holding Ezio’s shoulders. “And where is that beautiful wife of yours?!”

“Nice to see you again, maestro,” Sofia walked towards him. Leonardo let go of Ezio and walked towards her. She outstretched her hand to him but he went in for a hug. She hugged him back.

Leonardo pulled back to look at her. “You look esplendid!” he said, “pregnancy suits you!”

Sofia laughed. “You flatter me,  _ grazie _ .”

The man reached for her belly, but caught himself. “May I?” he asked, looking at her. 

“Of course,” she nodded. Normally, it annoyed her when people just touched her belly without asking. The only person who could do that was Ezio, no one else. She didn’t mind Leonardo doing it though, he was too nice for her to mind. 

Leonardo held her belly, his eyes filled with curiosity. He waited a few moments and the baby stirred. His face lit up. “It moved! It moved!” he exclaimed, “how exciting!”

Ezio laughed, stepping forward and patting his friend’s shoulder. “It sure is,” he said, “now let’s go eat.”

He led the artist away, Sofia right behind. She took a moment to close the door Ezio had left open. She reached for it when another, stronger pain dug into her, sucking the air out of her lungs. She yelped, leaning over in pain. It felt like someone was scraping her from inside, the pain hot and unbearable. She held onto the doorframe, waiting for it to pass. She had no idea how the baby had managed to do it. A part of her even doubted it had, but… what else could it be? She still had at least another month or two before labor.

Ezio came back for her. He stopped when he saw her leaning on the door, frowning. “Sofia, are you alright?!” he asked, rushing to her side.

Sofia stood up, and nodded. “I’m alright,” she smiled at him, touching his arm. The pain was fading again, but she struggled to keep her breathing steady. Ezio looked a bit suspicious, but Sofia pulled him along before he could ask anything. 

They all sat around the table and began eating. Sofia chewed on a piece of bread half-heartedly. There was something off, she could feel it: she felt incredibly uncomfortable, and the baby was moving a lot. More than usual, that is. There was a sense of dread revolving in her chest, and a cloud of dark thoughts floating in her head. She didn’t let them take shape though.  Almost instinctively, she reached for Ezio’s hand. He looked at her, a little suspicious, but still squeezed her hand. It made her feel better almost instantly, and she relaxed. 

The dinner transpired as Sofia had imagined: with them talking about assassin business, and her listening quietly, and seldomly talking. From time to time, she would feel the jabs of pain, and would stiff up in her chair. Thankfully, the others were too concerned with the conversation to notice. Even Ezio. At first, it was bearable. She would just wait the pain out and it wouldn’t come back for a long time. But it seemed like the pains were getting stronger, and closer and closer to each other. 

“You know, Sofia,” Leonardo said, snapping her back, “I came up with a fascinating idea for a machine the other day. Perhaps you’d like to come and see my sketches one of these days?”

“I would be delighted,” she nodded, grateful, “I can’t think of something-”

A stronger jab derailed her words and she whimpered. Ezio clutched her hand, looking at her. “What is it?!” he asked, worried.

Sofia didn’t answer, clutching her skirt to put up with the pain. It felt like a dagger was dragged through her womb from top to bottom, even making her eyes water a little. What was that kid doing in there? Did Auditore children come with knives already?

It was too much to take. She waited for the pain to pass and stood up. Ezio tried to stand too, but Sofia put her hand on his shoulder to keep him down. “It’s alright,” she reassured him, “I just need to lay down for a little while…” another jab dug into her. “Th-The baby is just moving too much, it needs to settle down.”

Ezio’s expression was stern, and he tried to stand again. “I’ll walk you up.”

She shook her head. “No,” she pushed him back down gently, “I’ll be fine.”

“But-”

“No buts,” she insisted, “I’m fine. I’ll just scream if I need anything,” she smiled. 

Ezio nodded begrudgingly, and her face relaxed. She took Ezio’s hand and kissed it before putting it on her stomach. Just when she did, the baby kicked. Both their faces lit up, feeling their baby moving inside her. “We both need a little rest,” she whispered. 

Sofia then turned back to the others. “If you’ll excuse me.”

“Of course,” Claudia nodded.

Getting up the stairs was harder than she thought, and she began to regret not letting Ezio come with her. Now the pains were even closer to one another, getting stronger each time. She was beginning to feel a little worried, but refused to assume the worse: all the doctors had told her she wouldn’t go into labor until another month at least. The baby was the one responsible, it was moving too much. 

She just needed to lie down and she’d be fine. 

Sofia reached the bedroom as another, much stronger wave of pain passed over her belly and back, almost knocking her down. Panic was beginning to bubble up, but she refused to acknowledge it. She was okay, it wasn’t time yet. She tried to change into her night clothes, but she couldn’t. Instead, she only laid down on the bed, breathing deeply. Eventually, she ended up curling into a ball and waiting for the pains to pass. 

Honestly, she wanted nothing more than to scream for Ezio, but she didn’t. She figured he would overreact if she did, and she didn’t want to worry him. She laid on her back and clutched her pillow as another wave passed. Now the bouts were barely apart, and getting worse. When she opened her eyes, she saw the book she had been reading earlier on the seat by the window. Thinking it could distract her, she managed to get the strength to stand back up and go for it. 

Sofia could hear the muffled voices coming from downstairs as she walked to the chair. The pain was giving her a break, and she got to the window without much difficulty. She picked up the book and opened it on the marked page. She skimmed through it, trying to focus on the lines. And it worked, she forgot about the pain and it seemed to fade away. Then, however, something else happened:

A weird sensation, a  _ pop _ , sent a shiver up her body. And she almost dropped the book when she felt something warm running down her thighs. Sofia froze, her hands clutching the book desperately. 

No, it couldn’t be, she still had a month. 

Shaking, she took a step back and looked at the floor. There was a puddle of what looked like water on the floor, growing bigger and bigger. She stared at it in utter disbelief, trying to comprehend what it meant. Then something snapped her out of her stupor:

Horrible, horrible pain.

It was even worse than before, and she couldn’t help but cry out and clutch her stomach. She managed to walk to the bed and lean on one of the bedposts, dropping the book on the floor. She began breathing quickly, her heart hammering in her chest as she came to terms with the truth: 

Time was up… the baby was coming. 


	3. Chapter 3

Sofia made her way out of the room, struggling to breathe. Her inner thighs were soaked, and the water kept coming. Tears were spilling from her eyes, her hands were shaking and her lips quivered. She struggled to walk straight, her vision blurring. She could hear Ezio’s voice downstairs. “Ezio!” she called, her voice shaking and cracking.

He couldn’t hear her.

Taking a deep breath, Sofia began making her way down. She was about halfway to the first floor when another contraction caught her by surprise. She lost her balance and fell. She gasped, the step digging into her back, adding to the pain she was already feeling. That was the last drop, and she broke down in tears.

“EZIO!” she wailed at the top of her lungs, holding on to the bottom of the rail for dear life as the pain tore her apart. “EZIO!”

“SOFIA!” He heard him scream, followed by frantic steps.

She kept her eyes closed, waiting for the pain to stop as the running came closer, coming out of the hallway.

Ezio spotted her sitting on the steps, and a breath caught in his throat. He remembered what had happened the night before, and assumed it had happened again and she had fallen. He immediately regretted not helping her.

Sofia was still in the middle of the avalanche of pain, crying shamelessly and hugging the rail, when he reached the stairs. His face was wild with panic when he ran up to her, going up two steps at a time. He knelt down next to her, and Sofia turned to look at him, terrified. “Did you fall?!” he asked, “what happened?!”

“I did, but…” Sofia babbled, unable to bring herself to say it outloud. She didn’t have to though. Ezio looked down and saw her skirt was soaked. He frowned and pulled it up to her knees, seeing the water spilling down the step she was sitting in. He dropped the skirt in horror, the realization dawning on him.

He looked at her, his face pale. “It… can’t be,” he muttered, grabbing her face,“it can’t-”

Sofia nodded, clutching his hands tightly. “I’m scared,” she whimpered.

Ezio pulled her into a hug, kissing her temple. He was speechless. This wasn’t supposed to happen… not now. He wasn’t ready for it.

His wife was obviously just as shocked at him, rocking back and forth against his chest. “I don’t want to die… ” she kept crying, “I don’t want to die… ”

Those words made him sick, his body suddenly cold. He held her tighter, his heart racing. “You won’t,” he whispered, “you won’t.”

The others were now at the foot of the stairs, looking up in shock. He looked at La Volpe. “Get a midwife!” he screamed, “NOW!”

The old man nodded and ran out of the door as fast as lighting. As soon as he did, Sofia hunched over in agony. Ezio held her as she clutched onto his shirt, almost throwing up from the pain. “It hurts,” she whimpered, “it… hurts!” She groaned, shaking violently.

Ezio looked around frantically, desperate to stop the pain somehow. His eyes landed on Leonardo, watching from the bottom step. “Leonardo!” Ezio pleaded, “help her! _ti scongiuro! [I beg you]_ ”

The man stood there, completely flabbergasted. “I- I’m afraid I don’t-”

“You’ve worked with pregnant women, haven’t you?!” Ezio insisted, desperately holding a sobbing Sofia.

“Only dead ones,” he mumbled apologetically.

That made Sofia cry harder, and Ezio’s face turned completely white. He held Sofia’s head, kissing her hair. He didn’t know what to do. “The midwife will be here soon,” he reassured her, “just breathe.”

Sofia tried to breathe, but as soon as she managed to relax a bit, the pain would come back… worse than before.

Leonardo walked up to them, resting his hand on Ezio's shoulder reassuringly. “ _Coraggio [courage]_ , Ezio” he said.

Ezio looked up at him, swallowing back. Leonardo’s face was stern, but he still had a hopeful gleam in his eyes. He was right. Ezio took a deep breath and nodded at him before turning back to Sofia. “ _Andrà tutto bene [everything will be okay],_ Sofia,” he told her, “don’t be afraid.”

Sofia nodded, her face still buried in his chest. “ _Andrà tutto bene”_ she repeated, trying to convince herself.

Claudia climbed up the steps and sat on the step next to Ezio and Sofia. She looked at her brother and gave him a reassuring nod. She knew first hand what it was going into labor, especially the first time. Back then, she had had uncle Mario, and especially her mother, to help her through it. Now it was her turn to help Sofia. She waited for Sofia to settle down before caressing her hair. “Sofia,” she said, feeling her trembling under her hand, “you need to relax.”

The woman wouldn’t look at her, keeping her face buried into her husband’s chest, crying out when another wave of pain came over her.  Claudia gently pulled her face to look at her. “Sofia, I need you to breathe,” she said, “it will be okay, you-”

“They said I still had another month at least,” Sofia mumbled, looking at her with red eyes, “why now? What if my baby comes out malformed? What if it’s dead?!” a strong jab made her turn back to her husband, holding on to him.

Ezio looked at his sister as he held Sofia, his eyes glassy and wide.

“It will be okay,” she insisted, patting Sofia’s back, “my second son was born a little early too… it can happen, but you need to calm down.”

Sofia nodded, relaxing a little. Ezio kissed her once she did. “You will be okay,” he said. Once she was more calm, he turned to Claudia. “What do we do?”

Claudia stood up, incredibly calm. “Let’s get her to her room,” she said, “get her into something comfortable for when the midwife gets here. It’ll help her relax.”

 _“Bene,”_ Ezio nodded, trying to sound relaxed. He was failing miserably. He picked Sofia up from the floor, some of the fluid dripping from her skirt to the floor. Sofia held on to her husband, burying her face into the side of his neck as he carried her up. She was whimpering and shaking violently again, clutching Ezio’s hair. He pressed his cheek to her, shushing her. “You are going to be alright,” he said, “both of  you will be alright.”

He walked ahead with Sofia while Claudia turned to Leonardo. “I need you to get some water and fresh linens,” she instructed him.

Before Leonardo could even ask where he could find what she had asked for, Claudia ran after her brother.

Claudia entered the room a few seconds after Ezio, going straight for the dresser. “Where’s her nightgown?” she asked, opening all the drawers.

Ezio hesitated. “Uhh…”

“Bottom left,” Sofia replied through gritted teeth, the pain making her sick.

Claudia pulled it out. “Let her stand,” she said, unfolding it.

Ezio waited for the pain to pass before letting her down. Sofia couldn’t stop shaking, her knees buckling. She had never been so scared in her life, not even when she was kidnapped.

“Hold her,” Claudia said, walking towards them. Sofia rested on Ezio as Claudia and him undid the straps of her dress.

Sofia watched how Ezio untied her dress almost expertly with a single hand, going through the knots in a matter of seconds. “You’ve become pretty proficient at figuring out my dress,” Sofia joked, trying to make her husband laugh. Ezio chuckled and kissed her cheek while Claudia hid a smile and pretended not to hear. Normally, Sofia wouldn’t make such comments in front of her, but right now both she and Ezio were in desperate need for a laugh.

Eventually, they managed to untie her dress and pull it off. She still had a corset underneath though, and they began to untie it quickly. As they were doing it, however, another set of contractions came. Sofia’s knees gave in and Ezio and Claudia had to pull her back up. She was barely able to hold herself up when she finally felt the corset give away. She sucked in a long breath, the tight undergarment falling to the floor. As soon as it was off, Sofia felt the baby stir, freed from the horrible contraption. She breathed deeply, feeling her insides shifting back to their normal place. She always hated that thing, even before she got pregnant. She hadn’t even realized how much it constrained her breathing.

Claudia pulled the nightgown over her head. The loose fit and soft fabric were an immediate reassurance and she breathed out in relief. She was still terrified, but she could at least breathe.

The two Auditore siblings helped Sofia to the bed, but she wouldn’t lie down. She was about to sit down when another wave came onto her and she hunched over, shrieking. Ezio began rubbing circles on her back, trying to soothe her. She reached back as the pain diminished, holding on to his arm. He was there with her. It would be okay.

“I don’t want to lie down,” Sofia shook her head, breathing deeply. She felt as if she wouldn’t be able to get up if she did. “I want to walk… for a bit at least.”

Ezio looked at Claudia, searching for her consent. She nodded and began to help her up. Ezio wrapped his arm around her waist and kept her steady as she took a few steps.

They just paced around the room, going from the door to the window, and then back around. Walking with Ezio helped her relax. In a moment of clarity, Sofia looked at him. His face was deadly pale, and for the first time since they met, he looked truly scared. It made her a little anxious, but she still tried to cheer him up.  “Just so you know… this doesn’t count,” she smiled weakly, “you still owe me that walk.”

Ezio’s face relaxed, and he chuckled. “I do,” he said, “we’ll go as soon as you’re better… all three of us.”

She nodded, burying her face into his chest. Walking with their new baby… that thought made them both smile, the fear fading for a minute. She clutched his shirt when another contraction came, and he held her until it passed. Once it did, she felt more calm. “I think I’m ready to lie down now,” she said, pulling away.

They took her back to the bed and helped her down, propping up pillows for her to sit. Sofia settled down on the mattress, looking around the room. Ezio sat on the edge of the bed, holding her hand tightly. She tried to smile, but now everything felt too real and her heart began to race. “It will be okay,” he kept reassuring her, kissing her hand.

Claudia nodded, giving her an encouraging smile. Sofia tried to smile too, but her teeth were chattering. Another contraction came, stronger than the others, and she was consumed by the pain. She squeezed Ezio’s hand, groaning loudly. Claudia rested her hand on Ezio’s shoulders, watching Sofia writhe around in the bed. “I’ll go and help Leonardo,” she said, trying to hide her concern, “just keep her calm.”

Ezio nodded and Claudia left. He turned to Sofia, left panting after the pain passed. Her hair was a mess: the bun inside the net was undone, and her net was hanging lower than it should be. Ezio reached for the high bun gently and undid what was left of it, taking away the net and letting her hair fall back. “That’s better,” she sighed, lying back on the pillows.

He pushed some stray hairs from her face. “You’re doing great,” he said, “just breathe.”

She nodded, focusing in her breathing. Ezio touched her belly gingerly, an excited look taking over his eyes. She put her hand over his and smiled, feeling the same twinge of excitement. They were about to become a family.

That excitement didn’t last though... as Sofia realized that that could very well be the last moment alone she would spend alone with Ezio until everything passed… it could even be the last time _ever_. The thought made her tear up, but she had to bear it. She clutched his hand and held it up to her cheek, feeling its warmth against her skin. If she had something to say, now was the moment.

“Ezio,” she said, “if something goes wrong-”

 _“Non dire così [don’t say that],”_ he stopped her, cupping her cheek and looking at her sternly, “you will be fine, Sofia.”

Another strong pain racked her body and she groaned, holding his hand tightly against her cheek and leaning forward. He pressed his forehead to hers until the pain was gone.

Sofia was breathing heavily, a knot forming on her throat. “But if it does…” she continued, eyes blurry with tears “and the baby survives…” Ezio’s eyes were becoming misty now, but he said nothing, just cupped her cheek and kept pressing his forehead to hers. She let a tear fall as she held his face in her hands. “Just know that I love you both more than anything…” she whispered, looking at him, “and I always will.”

Ezio took in a sharp breath and nodded, a tear falling from his eyes. His jaw was clenched when he looked up at her, swallowing back painfully. There was a sense of powerlessness in his eyes, and she understood why: he couldn’t stop her pain, and if it came to it, there was no way for him to save her. No keys to trade this time. She wondered when was the last time this great assassin had been so utterly unable to control death. For years, he had been able to decide who lived and died… but now, when he needed it the most, he had lost that power.

She caressed his face, and managed a small smile. It seemed to calm him a little. He looked at her again, and smiled back tenderly.

There was something else in his eyes, aside from the helplessness, and it was something she had gotten to know well: It had been there the day she let him into her bookstore after the sultan incident, and as they sailed the seas… it was in the gleam she had seen the day they married, as well as the day he found she was with child… everyday it was there. It never wavered, not even now.

And it was love… love for her.

No matter what happened to her, Sofia knew she was loved. That was enough to drift away happily. “I love you,” she whispered, “and you love me… and that’s enough, no matter what happens.”

She smiled, pushing his hair out of his face with teary eyes. Ezio didn’t smile, however, his face growing stern. “No,” he shook his head, seemingly reading her thoughts, “you can’t die.”

Sofia chuckled, tears falling down her cheeks. “I don’t think it is up for me to decide, my love,” she replied, her voice shaking.

Ezio held her face, forcing her to look at him. _“Non me ne frega niente [I don’t care],”_ he replied, “you won’t die… you can’t let it happen, Sofia.” He was trying to sound commanding, but his voice kept breaking.

Both of them were crying now, desperately holding on to each other. Another contraction came through and she leaned into Ezio. He held her, burying his face into her neck. “I can’t lose you,” he whispered, “not now… not like this… ”

Sofia breathed deeply, the sadness in his voice feeling like a stab through her heart. “Then I’ll try not to,” she said, hugging him, “I… I will not let death take me easily, I promise.” He let our a relieved breath, his grip on her tightening. Sofia kissed his temple for a long time, feeling him shaking slightly. He couldn't lose her, not after everything that's happened to him. He had lost enough already... he didn't know if he would be able to get through it again.

The pain was almost gone when Claudia and Leonardo came back with a bowl of water and some linens.

“How are you doing?” Claudia asked, setting the bowl down on the nightstand.

Sofia took Ezio’s hand, and he squeezed it, smiling at her and wiping his eyes. “Better,” she said.

Claudia’s face lit up, and she rested her hand on her brother’s shoulder. “Good.”

Some time passed after that, and more pain with it, but Sofia kept holding Ezio’s hand and following Claudia’s directions to breathe, all while Leonardo told her about some ideas he had had to keep her distracted. She was still scared, but she had already promised she wouldn’t give up.

Death was perhaps imminent, and the thought still scared her, but at least she would give it a good fight.

She had to.


	4. Chapter 4

A specially strong contraction had left Sofia feeling exhausted and sore. She laid back on the pillows, breathing heavily while Ezio caressed her head. She smiled at him weakly, and he smiled back, kissing her hand.

Claudia and Leonardo were watching over Ezio’s shoulder, smiling when she did.

Surprisingly, Sofia felt quite at peace: she had her husband right next to her, and soon she would meet her baby.

That peace, however, was disrupted by the sound of the front door opening. Everyone in the room turned around as they heard hurried steps coming up the stairs and reaching the room. La Volpe bursted in. “I got the midwives!” he announced, stepping aside to let two women in grey clothes through.

One of them was old, with grey hair and a wrinkled face, and the other was significantly younger, with golden hair and deep green eyes. They were wearing clean clothes and were carrying more linens with them. As soon as they got in, the eyes of the eldest landed on Ezio kissing Sofia’s hand. Her expression soured. “Men cannot be in here,” she said.

Leonardo didn’t put up a fight, and neither did Volpe, both walking to the door without complaints. Ezio, however, didn’t move. He stayed by Sofia’s side, holding her hand. At first, Claudia assumed he maybe didn’t hear. “Ezio, you have to-” Claudia tried to touch his shoulder, but he didn’t let her.

“I’m not leaving her,” he replied. Sofia smiled when he said that, but it disappeared a second later when another contraction began.

“Ezio…”

“No!” he replied.

The youngest midwife stood there in utter shock, an uncomfortable look in her face.  
The old woman didn’t seem too shocked though. It was obvious she had ran into this kind of trouble before. “It’s not appropriate for men to see her like this,” she insisted, looking at Claudia.

“I’m her husband,” Ezio shot back, squeezing Sofia’s hand as she came down from another wave of pain. She looked increasingly preoccupied as she slowly put two and two together and realized what the fighting was about. He couldn’t leave her… he wouldn’t… right?!

“Same answer,” the old woman replied.

“Mother,” the younger midwife tried to intervene, “maybe we could-”

“No, Via,” the mother cut her off, “no men. No exceptions.”

Claudia knew the tone in Ezio’s voice well… she had heard it for years: she heard it every time he asked her to do something in Monteriggioni she didn’t want to, and when she asked to become an assassin, and then again when she took on the brothel in Rome.

She sighed deeply. “Ezio please,” she began, holding his shoulders, “don’t make this harder for her.”

“But-”

Leonardo walked back into the room, avoiding the old woman’s angry stare. “Listen to them, Ezio, they will take good care of her,” he said, pulling at his arm. “We’ll be right outside.”

Ezio opened his mouth to argue, but stopped once he saw the look in Leonardo and Claudia’s faces. He turned to look at the old midwife, standing still in protest to his presence. His wife’s life was in that old woman’s hands… and if he didn’t do as she said, she could let go of it. He couldn’t risk that.

It wasn’t time for him to fight, which honestly was an odd feeling for him. For the first time, here was something he couldn’t punch his way out of.

Feeling like his heart was being torn to shreds, he turned to Sofia. There was a look of disbelief in her eyes, her breathing fast and shallow. She kept clutching his hand tightly, so much so that he expected to find some bruises there the next day. She knew what he was going to say.

He swallowed back, forcing himself to look at her in the eye.  “I’ll be right outside,” he reassured her, his voice cracking, “be strong.”

As soon as he said that, a look of betrayal and defeat came over her face. She began hyperventilating. “What?!” she cried, trying to hold on to his hand when he stood up.

Ezio forced himself to look away, but he couldn’t block the sounds. “Don’t… Please!”  Sofia screamed at him, begging him to stay. He clenched his fists and walked quickly towards the door, trying to remember the last time he’d felt so guilty.

Claudia held Sofia back while she continued to scream. Via gave her a pitiful look before guiding Ezio to the door.

“Claudia, please, I need him! Don’t let them take him!” Sofia wailed, but, as much as it pained her, her sister-in-law didn’t budge.

"You will be alright," Claudia tried to reassure her, "I'll stay here with you."

Against his better judgement, Ezio gave Sofia one last look. He immediately regretted it, seeing her sitting up in the bed, holding on to his sister and crying desperately. He almost went back to her, but the young midwife closed the door on him.

Sofia was alone now.

The panic came back as soon as Ezio was gone. “Ezio!” Sofia called, hyperventilating, “please!”

Claudia shushed her, holding her as another set of contractions caught her unprepared in the middle of her breakdown. She screamed in agony, shaking and sobbing uncontrollably. Claudia felt like her heart was being squeezed, hearing the pain in her voice. Even the young midwife seemed affected by Sofia’s cries, her face pale. The old one was undeterred though... if she could have a coin for every time a woman had entered hysterics during labor, she would be richer than the Medici. 

The old woman and Via came to Sofia’s side, ready to work. The older one stood by Sofia, wiping the sweat off her forehead with a cool cloth. The cold sensation was a small relief to the agony Sofia was feeling, but it was something nevertheless. “You need to focus, _signora_ ,” she said, “you need to deliver this baby.”

Sofia wasn’t listening. In fact, she wasn’t even looking at the midwife. Her eyes were glued to the closed door. “I need him… ” she kept mumbling, “I need my husband…”

The old woman sighed, looking at her daughter. “You see,” she said, trying to sound humorous, “this is what happens when you let a woman marry for love… they become unreasonable.”

Claudia glared at the old woman, but said nothing, focusing her energy on soothing Sofia and getting her to listen. “I’m here,” she whispered, “I’m here.”

Sofia held on to her, her hands cold and sweaty. Claudia’s presence helped her slightly, but she was still too scared. And no matter how hard Claudia tried, Sofia’s eyes kept glancing at the closed door every few minutes, still hoping for Ezio to come back.

The old woman looked at Sofia’s frightened expression. “First child?” she asked.

“Si,” Claudia nodded.

“That explains it,” she sighed, pulling up Sofia’s skirt. Sofia wasn’t ready for that, and began looking around in a panic when she was suddenly exposed.

Claudia had to keep her down as the old woman checked her.

“What is she doing?!” Sofia asked, almost childishly.

Claudia held her hand. “They need to see how far along you are,” she explained, “see if they can feel the baby.”

Sofia thought about it for a moment, too dizzy to really think clearly. She groaned when the woman continued checking down there, making her incredibly uncomfortable. “I don’t like it,” she said, “I don’t like any of this.”

“I know,” Claudia said.

“I preferred making the baby,” Sofia added, almost innocently as more pain shot through her, “that didn’t hurt, quite the opposite actually… it felt splendid.”

The old woman gasped and looked up, shaking her head in dismay. Via had to hold in a chuckle, burying her red face into the clean linens she was holding.

Claudia laughed wholeheartedly, shaking her head and cupping Sofia’s face. “I’m sure you had a good time,” she said, purposely loud enough for the old woman to hear, “I’ve been told Ezio’s especially gifted in that area.”

Sofia chuckled, looking at Claudia. The old woman muttered some nasty words under her breath, her cheeks red in embarrassment and disapproval as she went back to checking. As soon as she was distracted, Sofia looked at Claudia, her eyes shining with mischief. “I don’t know who told you that,” she said softly, careful not to be heard by the old woman, “but they are absolutely right.”

Claudia laughed, shaking her head and covering her mouth to keep the old woman from noticing. The young midwife had been listening in as well, and began laughing as her cheeks became even redder.

Via had to swallow her laughter, though, the moment her mother turned around to look at her. “She’s far along,” she said, “Tell the men.”

The girl nodded and headed for the door, still chuckling. She went out into the hallway and saw the husband pacing up and down. Maestro da Vinci was following him, trying to comfort him, while the other man sat on the floor.

Ezio spotted Via and rushed over to her.  He looked utterly terrified. “How is she?!”

“She’s far along,” she explained, “shouldn’t be too long now until she starts pushing.”

Ezio nodded, trying to look into the room. She felt incredibly guilty for not letting him see, but her mother always taught her about propriety.

Meanwhile, inside the room, Sofia was battling yet another strong contraction. She was screaming at the top of her lungs, pushing down on the pillows and crying. The old midwife and Claudia were desperately trying to get her to relax, but she was having none of it. “I need to push,” she gasped in between screams, “I need to…”

“Not yet, _signora_ ,” the old midwife interjected. “You need to wait, only a little longer.”

Sofia screamed again and cried, breathing with difficulty. She was straining her face, resisting the urge to push. Something felt off, very off, and it made her incredibly anxious. Her eyes kept looking around the room, focusing on the closed door. “Where’s my husband?” she asked.

“He’s outside.”

“I need him.”

“No,” the old woman said, “you need to deliver his child.”

Sofia kept looking at the door, unable to focus on anything else. She was scared, and in pain, and dizzy. She needed him to be there. That was the only concrete idea she could process at the moment.

The pain increased again, worse than ever before. “EZIO!” she wailed, “EZIO! PLEASE!”

Via felt awful, hearing her scream and plead that way through the closed door. She hadn’t had children yet, but she could understand why she’d like to have her husband with her when she did. That, however, would be sinful. That was what her mother always told her. Ezio, however, looked like he was about to fall to pieces. Sofia kept calling for him, and it was obvious to Via that it was taking everything in him not to go to her.

Shyly, she walked up to him and patted his shoulder. He seemed shocked at first, but then nodded in thanks. She was still there, comforting the man, when Claudia appeared in the doorway, her face deadly pale.

“We need a doctor,” she said.

Via felt her stomach sink. “A doctor?!” she repeated, “why woul-”

“There’s been some complications,” Claudia explained.

All resistance in Ezio crumbled. He got past his sister and ran straight for the room, while Claudia and the other two rushed back out to find a doctor. Via watched them all leave, taking a moment to process what just happened before going back into the bedroom.

Ezio jumped on top of the mattress, and crawled to Sofia’s side. His heart almost stopped when he saw his poor wife: lying there in a pool of sweat and tears, her face deadly pale and gaze lost. “Sofia…” he muttered.

She smiled weakly when she saw him, raising a feeble hand to his cheek.  Her touch was icy cold. _“Mio caro [my dear]…”_ she muttered, “where were you?”

“It doesn’t matter,” he replied, leaning into her touch, “I’m here now.”

Her smile vanished after a moment, the pain returning. She tensed up, screaming in agony and pushing. Once it passed, she looked even weaker, panting and falling back on the pillows. “I can’t do this…” she muttered, “I can’t.”

“Yes, you can,” Ezio replied, clutching her hand.

“Your hands… they’re warm,” she smiled tenderly, squeezing them very softly, “and I’m so cold…”

Ezio helplessly watched her drift away from him, the life dripping out slowly. “I’ll make them warm for you,” he said, feeling a knot forming in his throat. He grabbed both her hands and began rubbing them gently, pressing them to his face to try and pass some heat into them.

The old midwife watched in a sad silence, a hopeless look on her face.

Via came to her side. “You will let him stay?” she asked, hopeful.

Her mother sighed. “The baby’s stuck and I wasn’t able to turn it,” she explained in a low voice, “better let her have a moment of happiness before… before it ends.”

Via gasped, dread settling over. She looked at the woman on the bed, and then back at her mother. “They went for a doctor already,” she said, “maybe… maybe he can do something.”

Her mother nodded. “Let’s pray to God he gets here in time,” she said, “otherwise…”

Another contraction came and Sofia screamed at the top of her lungs, her husband desperately holding her until it passed. She was pushing, but nothing was coming out. Via’s mother walked to her side again and began wiping Sofia’s forehead, her face solemn.

Ezio looked at her. “Do something!” he pleaded, “I beg you! She’s… she’s _dying!_ ”

Via listened from the foot of the bed, holding in tears. She never liked it when this happened, especially when the husband was so distraught. She glanced at the poor woman on the bed, watching the life slowly drain from her after each contraction. She wouldn’t last much longer. Through it all, however, she kept holding her husband’s hand. Via almost sobbed when she realized that the woman wasn’t looking for comfort, but rather was trying to comfort _him_ , running her thumb over the back of his hand.

The old midwife shook her head. “The baby is stuck, _messere_ ,” she explained solemnly, “there’s nothing I can do.”

Via could see how the meaning of those words slowly drifted into the man’s head. Once it clicked, he broke. His eyes began to tear up, his hands shaking. He looked at his wife just as another contraction came over her, making her cry and scream. “There has to be something you can do…” he insisted, his voice cracking as he held Sofia’s face, “anything!”

The old woman just looked at him sadly. “We can only wait for the doctor now,” she said, “but most likely she won’t live that long.”

Ezio felt like his heart suddenly stopped. He really couldn’t process what was happening around him… Sofia, his Sofia, was dying. No… that didn’t sound right. He turned to look at the woman, breathing softly on the pillow, taking in her moments of peace before the next wave of pain. She caught him staring. Ezio felt the knot in his throat tighten painfully when she smiled at him.

No… this couldn’t be happening.

The old woman stood up from the bed and walked to her daughter, giving Ezio some time to process. “Stay with them, Via,” she whispered, going to the door, “I’ll go get the Holy water… we may still be able to save the child, so bring out the saw.”

Ezio almost threw up when he heard them, his eyes welling up with tears. He felt weak, feeling a dagger digging through his chest. Sofia was awake, looking at him in confusion. “Why are you crying?” she asked in a weak voice, wiping a tear from his cheek. Her eyes were swimming, beads of sweat rolling down her forehead. He didn’t answer, he just couldn’t. He would break. Instead, he leaned down and began kissing every inch of his wife’s face, soaking it with his own tears.

The next contraction came, and Sofia threw up from the pain. Thankfully, Via was able to put a bowl in front of her before she did, and Ezio managed to pull her hair back in time. Ezio kept his eyes closed, holding her tight as she puked, each gag and cry making him even more miserable.

Once Sofia was done, Via took the bowl away, and Ezio helped Sofia to lay back down. Ezio fixed her pillows, and saw that her nightdress was all rolled up over her belly, leaving her exposed. Carefully, he pulled it down. He was about to cover her when he froze in horror: he could see the baby struggling inside, pushing against Sofia’s skin. It looked like it was desperately trying to find a way out, but couldn’t find any. It looked like it was desperate… in pain even. Or that’s how Ezio interpreted it at least.

He couldn’t hold back when he saw that, and he crumbled.

Sofia cupped his cheek, and Ezio leaned into her, sobbing. He couldn’t remember the last time he cried like that… but maybe he had just been holding it in all this time. After so much suffering, now he was going to lose the last chance to have some joy in his life.

Why would they take this from him? After so many years of grief, why wouldn’t they allow him to have some happiness? They couldn’t take Sofia from him, just like they took Cristina. They couldn’t take his wife and child, his family, from him… not again. He wouldn’t be able to bear it this time. He laid down next to her, and pulled her into him as another contraction began.

Via stood there in utter shock, watching the man cry. Never in her life had she seen a man like him, imposing and strong, break down that way. She watched him hold his wife as the pain rolled over her. The young woman kept looking at his face as he stared at his wife in grief, his pain seeping into her soul.

Sofia grew weaker and weaker by the minute. “Please…” Ezio whimpered, holding her to her chest, “don’t take her too… don’t take them… not them.”

The young midwife shook her head, remembering what her mother had said: _‘get the saw’_. She went to the bag and pulled it out, the cool metal sending a cold shiver through her body.

Via tried to keep it out of the husband’s sight, but it didn’t work. Ezio looked right at it, his initial look of horror turning to defeat as she approached the bed with the saw. He pressed his forehead to Sofia’s and cried bitterly, completely hopeless.

Both Via and him knew it would end very soon.

 


	5. Chapter 5

Via took a deep breath, knowing it wouldn’t be long until the mother died. As soon as she did, she would have to cut the baby out of her, hoping it would at least survive long enough until her mother came back with the holy water. Her hands shook at the thought. She had never done this before, at least not by herself. She took a deep breath and approached the bed, saw in hand. Her will, however, faltered when she saw the scene in front of her:

The man was leaning over the woman, tears streaming down his face. The woman was crying too, but she was smiling at him. She reached up to him and ran her fingers through his hair. “It will be okay,” she said, “have courage.”

Ezio kissed her hand. “ _Mi dispiace,_ Sofia,” he whispered.

“What for?” she laughed, “I was happy… you made me happy.”

He smiled sadly, but his shoulders shook. “You made me happy too…” he muttered, “more than I can put into words.”

Via didn’t notice she was crying until she felt the tear fall off her face. She was shocked back to reality when she saw it hit the carpet, leaving a dark spot. Her eyes then focused on the metal saw in her hand. Just looking at it made her skin crawl. She wouldn’t use it, she wouldn’t _have_ to use it. A strong resolve took over her body: she was not going to let anyone die.

She threw the saw on the bed and rushed to Sofia. Ezio looked up at her, his eyes red and puffy. “I can try something,” she said, trying to sound calm, “but I can’t guarantee it will work.”

Ezio’s face lit up and he nodded.

Via pulled Sofia’s skirt up, breathing deeply to calm herself. She sat in front of her, breathing out and checking over her shoulder. Her mother had already tried to turn it, but failed. She feared it may have been because of the baby’s cord or the way it was positioned, but she had to try anyways. Knowing she hadn’t done this by herself before didn’t help either.

She looked at Ezio. “Hold her still,” she said, “this will be uncomfortable.”

He nodded, and held Sofia down. Via took a deep breath and reached inside. Sofia bucked up, but Ezio held her down, whispering words of encouragement into her ear. The young woman’s heart was racing as she felt around. She felt her stomach turn when she felt the child inside. Her mother was right: it wasn’t placed the right way. Pushing on, she began to feel around. Another contraction came, and she held on. “Don’t let her push!” she ordered.

“Sofia, don’t push,” he echoed to his struggling wife, “don’t.”

Via took a moment to think, feeling around the baby. She didn’t know what frightened her more: the mother dying while she was doing this, or her own mother coming back. She was risking the baby’s life, she knew, but she had to try. Charging forward, she was able to make out the way the baby was lying: it was lying across, as if resting on a bed. Ezio was looking at her, breathing deeply. The young woman found the head, and began tugging softly to push it down. It wasn’t easy, and she had to find a way to do it without hurting the child’s neck. She could feel the mother becoming weaker by the minute, and the contractions made progress difficult.

Still, she kept going. Under her breath, she kept praying to God and the Virgin, and all the saints, to allow her to do it properly. She closed her eyes, still muttering her plea, when she felt the baby begin to move along with her. She chuckled, relief washing over as it turned over to be head down. She kept a hold on the child as another contraction began. _“Questo è tutto! [that’s all!]”_ she exclaimed, “tell her to push!”

Ezio turned to Sofia, barely conscious. “PUSH!” he urged her, “Sofia, Push!”

She obeyed, putting all the energy she had left into it. She groaned and screamed, pushing. Via almost cried with joy, feeling the baby move down towards the world. _“Brava!”_ she cheered on, “Now, let’s do it again!”

The woman’s greatest fear now was that Sofia wouldn’t have the strength to push the baby out, and she could tell Ezio knew it too. He kept holding her hand, and talking to her. “It’s almost over,” he said.

“We’ll see our baby?” Sofia asked between pushes, her voice a little stronger.

He nodded, and she smiled. “Si,” he chuckled, “we will. But first, you have to push!”

Via had never seen anyone cling to life with so much determination. Sofia kept pushing, the fear from before replaced with defiance. She was clinging to life with everything she had.

“You are doing great, Sofia,” her husband cheered her on after another strong push. Via looked at the man, and nodded. The baby’s head was almost out.

“The head is coming,” she announced.

Ezio nodded, and kissed Sofia’s head. “Are you ready?”

“Si,” she replied, pulling herself up in the mattress.

The contractions began anew and Sofia pushed. Via’s face lit up when the baby began to come out, the head emerging. “There it is!” she exclaimed, smiling up at the parents.

It was obvious Sofia was in great pain, tears falling down her pale face as she clutched her husband’s shirt, but she was smiling wide. Ezio was happy too, chuckling and kissing her cheek. “Brava!” he said.

A few minutes later, Via pulled the rest of the body out of the mother. Sofia gasped in relief, falling back on the bed. She was breathing rapidly, her face as pale as the dead, but still living.

“It’s a girl!” Via announced, holding back tears.

Ezio held his wife, kissing the crown of her head as they both looked at the newborn expectantly. It was time to see if Via had done the right thing. Almost immediately, the little girl coughed up and began crying loudly, the sound breaking the tense silence. Sofia broke down in tears again, but she was laughing. Ezio turned to his wife, hugging her tightly and kissing her everywhere.

Via looked down at the newborn in her hands, watching her squirm around with a teary smile. She had done it, she had actually done it. Still looking at the baby, she took it to the side to clean it and wrap it in a blanket. As soon as she was done, she carried her back to her parents.

Sofia was resting against her husband, still terribly weak. Her face lit up when she saw her baby, and she reached out for her. “Let me hold her,” she said.

The woman obliged and handed the baby over. Sofia cradled her in her arms, holding her close to her chest. Her vision was blurry with tears, but she smiled. “Here you are,” she whispered, looking at the baby’s little face. She laughed. “You gave us quite a scare.”

Ezio chuckled too, wrapping his arm around his wife’s shoulder and kissing her cheek. “Both of you gave me a scare,” he said, the sticky trail of tears still visible on his face. Sofia rested her head against his neck, touching his beard.

The baby wasn’t crying anymore, instead resting against her mother and making little noises. She kept wriggling around though, moving her hands. “Our wriggly girl,” Ezio muttered, caressing the baby’s red cheek with one finger.

As soon as he touched her, the baby stretched, a small smile growing on her face. Both Ezio and Sofia’s hearts melted. “Our _happy_ girl,” she whispered, looking at Ezio and smiling too.

“My girls.” He replied, leaning in and kissing Sofia full on the lips. Via turned away, giving them a little privacy whilst holding in a little chuckle.

Via had forgotten the holy water, and her mother was already thinking of ways to punish her as she made her way back to the house as fast as she could. She still hoped her daughter had been able to cut the baby out alive and healthy… if not, and the child died without being cleansed from its original sin, this would be an even bigger tragedy.

She was almost at the house when she ran into Claudia and the others, bringing back the doctor. Claudia’s eyes widened when she saw the woman. “What happened?!” she asked, “why aren’t you with Sofia?!”

“Needed some Holy water,” she explained. Claudia’s face went pale and she ran for the door.

They all froze as soon as they came in, shocked by the silence. There was no screaming, and no crying… neither mother nor baby could be heard. A sense of dread spread over the group as they made their way to the room, preparing for the worse. Leonardo looked especially distraught. Claudia stood in front of the closed bedroom door, not hearing anything inside. Besides her, the old midwife was muttering a silent prayer, clutching a rosary.

Claudia took a deep breath and opened the door. They all came in, ready to see a lifeless Sofia with a dead child, but instead, they were greeted to the scene of two happy new parents with their gurgling baby.

As soon as the midwife saw both mother and child alive, she let out a loud cry. “GRAZIE DIO!” she exclaimed holding up the rosary and the Holy water, “IT’S A MIRACLE!”

The others made their way to the bed, eyes glued to the small child in Sofia’s arms. Ezio smiled as Claudia sat on the mattress, next to them, looking at the baby. “It’s a girl,” Sofia explained, her voice still very weak.

Claudia looked at it. “May I?” she asked, reaching for the baby.

“Of course,” Sofia nodded. She tried to sit up to hand her over, but she was still too weak, so Ezio took her and handed her over. Claudia smiled, looking at the small child, and rocking it. Leonardo looked at the baby in awe, and hesitantly touched the tip of her nose. The baby scrunched her face, moving around. Leonardo looked at Ezio, eyes filled with emotion. “She looks just like you,” he said.

“You think?” he chuckled, “didn’t think I was that wrinkled yet.”

Sofia laughed, caressing his beard.

“I’m certain,” Leonardo laughed, “could never mistake an Auditore.”

Claudia looked at her brother in awe, smiling. “You’re a father, Ezio,” she said, almost in disbelief, “you are actually a father.”

Ezio’s eyes widened. He _was_ a father, he actually had a daughter. In silence, he took his daughter back, holding her against his chest. The baby shifted, finding a comfortable position and dozing off. It was at that moment, feeling that tiny human’s body against his own, that it really clicked: _he was a father._ This child was his to love, and protect, and raise. It was overwhelming, and he felt an urge to cry again. He cleared his throat, holding the tears back, but when the baby smiled again it became more difficult. At that moment, holding the baby, he realized she was his legacy.

She was the most precious thing he had in this world, and he already loved her more than he could have imagined. Sofia caught a tear beginning to fall, and quickly wiped it away before the others could see it. He smiled at her, and she rested against his arm, looking at the baby.

Those two girls were the most precious things he had in this world.

The old midwife walked to the side of the bed, still crying. “Mio Dio,” she sighed, still clutching her rosary, “can I hold her?”

Ezio hesitated, remembering her bitterness, but Sofia nodded. Rather unsure, Ezio handed the baby over. The old woman cradled her expertly, her face lighting up. “Hi, little one,” she said in a playful voice, “you’re a little miracle, aren’t you? Yes, you are, yes, you are.”

Via laughed, keeping her distance from the others and laughing at her mother’s silly voice.

“It was thanks to your daughter,” Ezio explained, “she was the one who saved their lives.” The young woman’s eyes widened as suddenly all eyes fell on her. She looked down at the floor, a little overwhelmed.  
The old woman smiled wide. “My Flavia!” she exclaimed, rushing over to kiss her cheek, “I’m so proud of you!”

Via chuckled, a little embarrassed by her mother’s reaction. “It _was_ a miracle,” she said, “I would not have been able to save them if it hadn’t been God’s will.”

“And what will you name this little fighter?” Volpe asked, looking at the baby in the woman’s arms.

Ezio looked at Sofia as she asked for the baby back. The midwife placed her gingerly in her arms, stepping back to give them some space. Sofia looked at the baby, and then at Ezio. She whispered something into his ear and he nodded. Ezio caressed his kid’s cheek. “This is Flavia,” he announced, “Flavia Auditore.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked the story! Please leave your comments down below! (I'd really appreciate it)
> 
> Now, as I said, I love history, so I here are some historical facts about pregnancy and childbirth in the Renaissance:
> 
> 1\. Women had to write their wills once they found out they were pregnant... Childbirth was THAT dangerous.
> 
> 2\. Sadly, we don't really know how childbirth worked for the lower classes since it was considered a private matter and not really recorded. The births that WERE recorded were royal and noble ones, so that's all we know. Seeing as Ezio WAS of a noble family, Sofia's labor would probably go down as such.
> 
> 3\. Midwives were a luxury available to few. The rest had to be assisted by other women. And, of course, male doctors were a big no-no unless deemed necessary.
> 
> 4\. Although men were not allowed near the birthing room, they still wrote all the “scientific” texts we have about labor. And because they didn't know what the heck went down during labor, or even how everything worked (honestly, they thought female vaginas were male parts that had been turned inwards... like wtf, you guys), they are as reliable as my knowledge of medicine (so, not at all).
> 
> 5\. If a woman survived the pregnancy and birth, it was customary for their husbands to give them, and I'm not making this up, a plate... yeah, a pretty painted plate. Like, CONGRATS ON NOT DYING! HERE'S A PLATE! 
> 
> The intention's what counts I guess...
> 
> 6\. This one's crazy: Women usually didn't know they were pregnant until the baby MOVED. Like, can you imagine? being there, minding your business, thinking about the last outbreak of bubonic plague, and just FEEL something move inside you? Yeah... nope. 
> 
> 7\. They thought labor pains were God's punishment for Eve's sins (thanks Eve), so any form of pain relief was forbidden by the church until the 1800s when a very influential person used chloroform in her labor (props to you, Queen Victoria!).
> 
> 8\. This one is... well, it's very grim: If a woman died during labor, and the child was still inside her, the midwives would, and it's horrible to think, perform a C-section on the mother's corpse to try and save the baby. So... that's why Ezio was so affected by the saw. 
> 
> 9\. The midwives could baptize newborns if they were dying (they were the only women allowed to carry out a sacrament). This came from the belief that you were born with Adam and Eve's original sin, and the only way to cleanse it was through baptism. On the flip side, which is also horrifying, if a child died before this, they weren't allowed to be buried in cemeteries because "they were never born in the eyes of God". There were even stories of parents sneaking their dead children into cemeteries, and that just breaks my heart. 
> 
> 10\. A more lighthearted one because it got too grim too fast: pregnant women were forbidden from doing 'the Devil's tango' because: 1) they thought it could induce labor (which, to be fair, is true at some point); and 2) if they did it, their child would be unchaste... so yeah... if you're not married and already getting it on... now you know your parents didn't follow this rule (according to renaissance logic, that is).
> 
> 11\. Another bizarre one: pregnant women were not allowed to look at pictures of ugly children in case that would make their child ugly. So, if you're ugly, now you know it wasn't genetics, your mom just watched shrek at some point. 
> 
> 12\. Midwives were often persecuted for witchcraft. This happened for many reasons: 1) the umbilical cord, and such things were thought to be ingredients for witchcraft. So midwives had to swear and oath not to take any of it (and honestly… why would they? gross). 2) because of their no men policy, none of them really knew how childbirth worked, so of course, they thought it could be black magic (as you do). 3) As a form of healers, midwives were consider important to a certain degree. They had some power. And guess who didn’t like it? (if you said their patriarchal society you are right, so… good for you!).
> 
> 13\. This one doesn’t apply to the Middle Ages, but: women were required to wear corsets all through their pregnancy. Which is stupid. who thought that was a good idea? Like, I have a child growing in my belly, let me just squeeze it. What could go wrong?
> 
> 14\. Women were confined to a room in the days before the labor. The walls of said rooms were covered with tapestries with “soothing” imagery and religious relics. Usually only one window was left uncovered since they thought light could damage the expectant mother’s eyes (extra fact!). The point of all this was to recreate the feeling of being in the womb. Which, if it was during winter, I think it would be nice… but in summer… no.
> 
> I have more, but I'll stop there. I hope you liked these facts, and let’s thank God for modern medicine and not having to put up with these weird shenanigans.


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